FORT WORTH, Texas – Ultimate Bullfighters (UBF), in the dedication to the betterment and promotion of the sport of freestyle bullfighting, is proud of the success of the first UBF Academy in Fort Worth’s historic Cowtown Coliseum from April 5-7, 2022.

The camp entailed three days of training, learning and practicing on live Spanish fighting cattle. All levels of animals were available for bullfighters and newcomers of any tier. Whether an action sports athlete or college football player was looking for a new sport, all athletes and adventurers looking to make a splash in western sports needed only to apply. 

“We’re looking to not only build our next generation and help them improve, but many of our current top-level UBF athletes will also be in attendance to help guide and train,” said UBF President Luke Kaufman. “Events like these before have garnered us current athletes like 'Cajun Train' Sage Seay, who came from a college football background.

“These academy sessions are instrumental in searching for and training new talent.”

This was a free event for the athletes led by PBR cowboy protection bullfighting legend Frank Newsom. Athletes were selected based on their experience, former sports participation, and the personal goals they hope to achieve in freestyle bullfighting.

“We had a good turnout, about 15 guys. There were probably six or eight of the older guys on tour that helped as well," Newsom said. “It was pretty good. There’s definitely the top end and then the lower end. But as far as any real wolves, I’m going to say there were three guys there that I think have the tools and ability to be as great as they want to be if they go home and really get to work to really be something.

“Then, there was four or five that, if they really put the work in, they can be something too. They've just got to know they've got to go home and do the work.”

For one of the most prevalent and greatest bullfighters of all time, Newsom knows the fundamentals of the sport and starts there.

“I made up my mind that every time I do a camp, I lay down the fundamentals and do a lot of work. I feel like we got that done,” Newsom said. “I saw a lot of improvement over the three days. There were some bad habits that got fixed. There are definitely some guys that are starting to figure things out.”

As far as drawing new talent into the field, there was some of that as well.

“One guy that was totally new, you can tell he’d been watching a lot of YouTube videos and had picked up some bad habits from that,” Newsom said. “By the end of the day, at the end of the school, he was doing good. I was amazed at how good he was doing.

“Then there was a guy that I had known for a long time. I had actually fought bulls with his dad when I was young. Anyway, this guy has a lot of talent and a lot of ability. He’s been through some rough times after some rough choices, but now he’s on his way back. To see him battle through and really work was good to see.”

Having taught camps over the years, Newsom had some recurring students even though this was the first UBF Academy.

“Then there was another guy that I've taught for a while,” Newsom said. “He was knocking off some rust and knew he had to get in better shape, work a little harder.

“I’d say the majority of the guys was guys I didn’t know at all. I was impressed with how hard they worked. They really wanted to learn. I get things very simple, basic and fundamental. They really did the work and tried to put in what I was telling them.”

Late freestyle bullfighting pioneer Ross Hill coached the first UBF Academy in 2020.

The academy's top students will be given the opportunity to compete at an upcoming UBF event for their share of the richest purse in the history of freestyle bullfighting.

Details on how to apply for the next UBF Academy on June 7-9 at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth can soon be found on the UBF social media channels and UltimateBullfighters.com.

The UBF and PBR’s Bulls Gone Wild continues inside Cowtown Coliseum on April 21.

Following up a monstrous year concluding inside Cowtown Coliseum at the 2021 UBF World Finals, the highlight of the first half of the 2022 season is the $140,000-added bullfight taking place during the PBR World Finals from May 12-14. 

On April 15-16 in Clayton, Georgia, the UBF hosts the first standalone event of the year, the 2nd Annual Tallulah Falls Invitational. In 2021 the event was sold out, and this year will feature two nights of the world’s best freestyle bullfighters.

Voted event of the year in 2021, the UBF Party in the Pines in Swainsboro, Georgia, on May 6-7 will boast more excitement and entertainment, featuring the world-famous bull jumper from France, Manu Lataste, who just won TBS’s extreme competition “The Go Big Show.”

For tickets, merchandise, standings and more information, visit UltimateBullfighters.com.